An Unforgettable Experience
by TeenStarfire
Summary: Artemis meets Hamsa Garrison, a thirteen-year-old, in one of his business meetings. Although he tries to humiliate her in the beginning, he slowly begins to like her. However, as he begins the meeting, his old enemy, John Spiro, cuts in...


An Unforgettable Experience  
  
Chapter One: Descending into Florida  
  
Artemis Fowl, a skinny pale 14-year-old genius, followed by his bodyguard, Juliet, an attractive 17-year old, descended from the plane into the midnight air of Florida. In ten minutes, they had collected their luggage, with a bribe or two here and there to minimize time wastage, and stepped into a taxi to Wisteria Street.  
  
"Which hotel are we going to?" asked Juliet, tentatively, hoping that at least this time, she would get an answer, as they sped across the beautiful countryside of Florida. This was the sixth time she had asked him about some kind of detail, regarding this "business meeting" of his. "He has to tell me at some point of time!" Juliet thought desperately.  
  
"Well, actually," Artemis replied, choosing his word carefully, "We're going to Wisteria Hotel, for a conference with." He hesitated. "With one of my business associates," he completed lamely.  
  
Juliet's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "And who might this "business associate" be?" she asked.  
  
"All will be explained in a few minutes, at the meeting," he responded, resuming that irritating tone of his.  
  
Juliet sighed resignedly, and sank back into her leather-upholstered seat. Suddenly, she jumped up, causing Artemis to look up at her wearily. "We're having a meeting in a few minutes?" she asked incredulously.  
  
"Yes," Artemis replied unenthusiastically.  
  
"There goes my hope of catching some sleep," she whimpered, which was quite inappropriate for someone of her stature: a bodyguard. Maybe that was why Madam Ko didn't seem to think that she deserved to get her 'blue diamond tattoo' yet, she pondered unhappily, twisting her golden curls around her finger.  
  
Chapter Two: Hamsa Garrison  
  
"Okay, I've been thinking and I've decided to tell you all about it before we actually meet with her," Artemis said hurriedly, in their first- class suite at Wisteria Hotel.  
  
"Her?" Juliet asked. As far as she knew, Artemis never handled girls, except her of course. If her memory hadn't been wiped, she might have remembered Holly, the fairy, but that is quite irrelevant at the moment.  
  
"Yes," Artemis replied cautiously. "Hamsa Garrison. She's thirteen years old and."  
  
Artemis was interrupted by a steady fit of giggles from Juliet.  
  
"Thirteen? That's all? A thirteen-year old girl is your new business associate? You're fourteen, yourself! Maybe you've just found someone whose intelligence is superior to yours, Genius Artemis!" she snickered.  
  
Artemis let out an exasperated sigh, along with a touch of annoyance and embarrassment. Butler would never have let out such cutting comments. Butler was a proper bodyguard, but Juliet Butler was something different. not that he didn't like her.  
  
"Actually, I'm only meeting with her to see what kind of a fool she's going to make of herself, meeting others of much more intelligence," he said in a matter-of-fact voice, and left the room.  
  
Left with no other choice, Juliet followed as they went down the elevator into the grand hall. Artemis checked in with the receptionist and entered one of the private business meeting rooms, number 101.  
  
A cheerful-looking, attractive girl was seated in one of the plush seats. Her pink frilled dress brought out her rosy cheeks and her equally pink lipstick. Her deep brown eyes gazed at them from under her admirable black hair, which was done up in a "classic up do" style. She stood up, as the light illuminated her slim figure. Directing a lively smile at them, she declared, "Welcome Mr. Fowl! It is an honor to see you."  
  
Artemis blinked. He hadn't expected any elegant speech from this "girly-looking" person. "Ummm. bonjour mademoiselle. Ca va?" he asked.  
  
Juliet fumed. Artemis was purposely trying to embarrass her by speaking in French.  
  
"Ca va bien. Merci beaucoup. Et vous?" she replied politely in a perfect French accent. Juliet smiled. Maybe she was almost as smart as Artemis.  
  
"Je vais bien," he replied stiffly, his first attempt to humiliate her, foiled. A knock sounded through the mahogany door.  
  
"Come in," Hamsa called sweetly. A waitress tiptoed in with a tray of pastries and a jug of cocoa. "I ordered for us," Hamsa whispered apologetically. "You were a little behind schedule," she added, delicately avoiding an accusing statement such as 'You're late'.  
  
Artemis stared at her. He felt a pang of guilt in his chest. Here she was, a sweet, kind, good-natured AND highly intelligent girl; as far as he could see, she was a much better business associate than any other business partner he had worked with, and all he was trying to do was find ways to disgrace her. Nonetheless, he decided to give it one more try.  
  
However, Hamsa took the meaning of his stare wrongly. "You could order something else if you want," she said meekly, as the waitress hastened to leave the room, after serving the guests. Artemis observed the number of cups on the table, with a sense of inquisitiveness, but he kept it to himself.  
  
"No, thank you," he replied. "Ummm, Miss Hamsa Garrison? A descendant of William Lloyd Garrison, no doubt?"  
  
This time, Artemis definitely expected a series of blinks and a pained stare. Conversely, he was turned down again.  
  
"William Lloyd Garrison!" she laughed, as she placed down her cup of cocoa. She had a lovely laugh, with musical intones to it. Quite alluring. "My family had absolutely nothing to do with the Civil War," she informed him, in her rather charming voice. "Though I daresay, if we had been involved, we probably would have taken the place of abolitionists," she added thoughtfully.  
  
That was it. Artemis let go of his desire to debase her. This girl was bright. He could have just found a valuable comrade for all his business discussions. Why should he continue to put her to the test when he could actually grow to like her as a possible friend? At that precise moment, he caught sight of Juliet in the corner. Well, maybe he could never grow to get along with girl, but he could give it another try, he supposed.  
  
Juliet was enjoying this conversation. She also found it curious that this stiff, pale boy, dressed in an inflexible Armani suit, could even spend five minutes in a room with a girl like Hamsa Garrison.  
  
"Interesting," replied Artemis, as he nibbled at a delicious buttered scone, breaking into Hamsa's musings about the Civil war. "But before we get downright to business, Miss Garrison, I would like to advise you to obtain a bodyguard, before continuing to take part in conferences. Sometimes, business meetings can get violent, you know."  
  
"Which is why I am here," a gruff voice sounded from one of the dark crevices in the room. Martin Armstrong stepped out of his hiding place and took a seat directly next to Hamsa. The Armstrong family was famous for its bodyguards. The word "Armstrong" itself meant safety to their customers. Juliet eyed his 'blue diamond tattoo', with a certain sense of envy.  
  
Artemis smiled triumphantly. "I knew it! I knew it when."  
"When you noticed that there was an extra cup on the table," Hamsa completed for him. "You must be the keenest observer I've ever met Mr. Fowl," she complimented him.  
  
"I am the best you have met so far, and will be, Miss Garrison, simply because I'm a genius," he responded, without the slightest attempt to be modest.  
  
A grin played on Hamsa's mouth. "They warned me about this," she murmured to Juliet, who winked back.  
  
Artemis took out a small blue package, and placed it onto the table. "Now that we're ready, I would like to introduce to you." he began.  
  
The door slammed open. "The latest Spiro technology," the man in the doorway called. He lightly clasped a 2.2 Contour gun. Artemis gasped. John Spiro had outwitted him again.  
  
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